Game of Thrones actor and DJ Kristian Nairn has withdrawn from the 2025 edition of BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing, citing “unexpected medical reasons” less than a week after he was unveiled as the show’s final contestant. In a statement, the 49-year-old said he had been “truly looking forward to the journey” and apologised to fans, adding that he expects to “be back on my feet very soon, in every sense.” Executive producer Sarah James said the production team was “incredibly sorry to lose him” and wished him a speedy recovery. The BBC said a replacement celebrity will be revealed on The One Show at 19:00 BST on Thursday. The new Strictly season begins in September, with the remaining line-up featuring reality-TV star Dani Dyer, actor Alex Kingston and Olympic sprinter Harry Aikines-Aryeetey among others.